Speed-Form Training

The purpose of speed-form training is to improve your leg turnover (or stride frequency, as some call it), power, running economy, and relaxation while running. The best way to achieve all this is through a variety of speed drills that you run faster than the workouts in the previous chapters. While tempo repeats last up to 20 minutes and max VO2 repeats last 4 to 5 minutes, speed-form repeats should last just 30 to 60 seconds. When measuring by distance on a track, I've always found that 200 meters is a good length for speed repeats. You should run these repeats at about the same pace you could run in a one-mile race. Since the 200-meter repeats represent only one-eighth of the mile distance, you should be able to run these hard and fast but without straining. Another way to figure your pace is to run your 5-K race pace minus 30 to 40 seconds per mile (for faster runners) or 40 to 60 seconds per mile (for slower runners). Either way, you should be able to complete six to eight repeats of 200 meters at this pace. Take a two- to four-minute recovery jog after each repeat, before beginning the next one. While running, concentrate on feeling smooth, powerful, relaxed, and controlled. Don't overstride and don't pump your arms excessively. Strides offer another way to work on your speed and form. While the above workout is essentially an interval workout, with its mix of faster and slower running on a track or other good surface, strides are less structured. You can do them almost anytime, anywhere. They take only a few minutes at the end of a workout. Basically, strides are gradual accelerations over 60 to 80 meters. By running four to six strides several times a week, you help your legs and the rest of your body remember what it's like to run fast. Without strides or some type of speed-form drill, it's easy to get sloppy in your running and do only slow running with bad form (for more information, see "Good Form" on page 12). You can find yourself slipping into a pattern where you're training to run slowly and inefficiently rather than faster and more economically. Here's how to do strides. Finish your workout, stretch for 5 to 10 minutes, and then find a smooth, level place to run (a grassy field is excellent). Lean into your first stride as you would the beginning of a race, and continue accelerating for 60 to 80 meters. Concentrate on your form, staying smooth and strong (but not straining) as you accelerate. As you reach about 90 percent of your top speed, relax and allow your body to decelerate. Jog for a minute or two, and then repeat another four or five times. Regular doses of speed-form training are like regular tune-ups of your car engine. The car can keep running without the tune-ups, but it won't run as smoothly and efficiently as you'd like.